During the 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman noted that talks around Winnipeg Jets’ forward Andrew Copp were intensifying. Among the teams most interested in the forward are the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers.
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Copp has 13 goals and 32 points in 55 games this season. The strong, physical forward can play both center and wing and his current cap hit at $3.64 million is not prohibitive, especially for the Rangers who have tons of cap space. He is a pending UFA, so he’ll be looking for a raise, but any trade could be treated like a rental or an opportunity to sign him to a longer-term deal.
In some ways, Copp is Plan B for teams that missed out on Claude Giroux. Both the Avalanche and Bruins reportedly showed interest in Giroux before he went to the Florida Panthers and now that the Panthers have improved, the Avs and Bruins are looking to do the same. There was talk that the Rangers showed interest in Giroux as well but it was made clear early that he would not be on his list of preferred destinations. In the end, it was Florida or bust for Giroux.
Copp would fit well with the Avalanche on their third line. He would likely play with Alex Newhook and J.T. Compher while also taking on some penalty-killing minutes. If the Bruins are kicking tires here, it would be interesting to see if Jake DeBrusk is somehow linked to the trade talk.
Don’t Forget About Paul Stastny
The Jets also have Paul Stastny, available and he has flown under the radar this season with 31 points in 51 games this season. His $3.75 million cap also expires this summer and he’d be a strong addition for a playoff team.
He could be a Plan C for a team and there’s some chatter the Calgary Flames might be interested here if they could make the money work.
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